Normally Europe allows such rallies: Greek minister

By Furkan Naci Top and Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ATHENS

Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgios Katrougalos said Monday that the principle in Europe is to allow rallies like the one Turkish officials were set to make in Netherlands and Germany.

"I can’t judge the internal political decisions of other countries. But the principle in Europe is to hold [allow] these kind of meetings," Katrougalos told a private TV channel.

On Saturday, the Dutch government first canceled the Turkish foreign minister's flight permit to the Netherlands and then blocked a convoy carrying Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya and forced her to leave the country under police escort.

The ministers had been due to meet Turkish residents at rallies ahead of an April 16 referendum on constitutional changes.

Last week Turkish government ministers were also barred from holding public rallies in two German cities ahead of the referendum.

Katrougalos also said they always try to have friendly relations with Turkey.

"In the past Turkish officials have visited [western] Thrace. We do not have a reason to ban their communication with them [Thrace]. But we also do not have a reason to inflame the current tension in Europe, which could risk causing problems in our relations," he added.

Greece’s western Thrace region has a significant indigenous Turkish minority numbering around 145,000.